Martin J Citardi , MD

Xiaoyang Hua, MD, PhD, is a board-certified and fellowship-trained otolaryngologist and National Institutes of Health-funded surgeon-scientist. He prioritizes empathizing with his patients and is committed to developing various treatment options and assisting patients in choosing the one that aligns best with their needs. Hua works closely with his team to ensure individualized care for every patient and strives to provide valuable insight and compassion. Hua is an associate professor in the Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston. He’s also the principal investigator of multiple grants supported by the NIH. Hua was selected as one of three surgeons involved in a groundbreaking clinical trial for the robotic insertion of cochlear implants. He also holds pending patents for multiple medical devices used in sinus and skull base surgery. With over 25 years of experience in otolaryngology, Hua has learned from and collaborated with world-class physicians, surgeons, and educators. He earned his medical and doctorate degrees in China. He completed his residency and fellowship in otolaryngology head and neck surgery at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics where his training included managing complex middle and inner ear disorders, performing surgeries for extensive cholesteatomas, temporal bone resections, inner ear ablations, and implantable devices for hearing loss, including cochlear implantation. Outside of work, Hua enjoys running, cycling, and playing the guitar.

William C. Yao, MD, is a board-certified and fellowship-trained otorhinolaryngologist specializing in nose, sinus, and skull base disorders. He is devoted to delivering leading-edge medical and surgical management for chronic rhinosinusitis and paranasal sinus diseases, as well as advanced endoscopic sinus surgery, revision sinus surgery, skull base surgery, and orbital surgery. Yao is an associate professor and division chief of rhinology in the Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston. He also serves as the residency program director and is co-director of the Texas Sinus Institute Rhinology and Skull Base fellowship program. He has a strong interest in surgical technique and residency education, including the development of teaching instruments. He is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the University of California, Los Angeles, and received his medical degree at the University of Colorado Health Science Center School of Medicine. He was inducted into Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society in 2008. He completed his otolaryngology-head and neck surgery residency at Baylor College of Medicine, where he was recognized with the 2014 Resident Teaching Award. He completed a fellowship in rhinology and anterior skull base surgery at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary at Harvard Medical School. Yao is fluent in English and Japanese and is the author of chapters in many textbooks, as well as numerous articles published in peer-reviewed journals, including The Laryngoscope, the International Forum of Allergy & Rhinology, the American Journal of Rhinology and Allergy, and Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. He has been awarded the Dean’s Teaching Excellence Award by McGovern Medical School every year since 2017 and the Faculty of the Year Award on multiple occasions. He has been named a Houstonia Top Doctor, Castle Connolly Top Doctor, and a Texas Super Doctor Rising Star.

Vivian Kaul, MD, serves as an assistant professor in otology, neurotology, and lateral skull base in the Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston. She is a member of the American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery, the American Neurotology Society, the Triological Society, and the North American Skull Base Society. She also serves as a peer reviewer for leading journals like the Laryngoscope, JAMA-Otolaryngology, and Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. She has also co-authored numerous articles published in these journals. Kaul’s clinical interests include hearing loss, cochlear implants, bone-anchored hearing aids, acoustic neuroma/vestibular schwannoma, epidermoid cysts, meningiomas, NF2, imbalance, Meniere’s disease, vertigo, encephaloceles, superior semi-circular canal dehiscence, tinnitus, otosclerosis, and cholesteatoma. Her research interests include patient education, cochlear implant outcomes, and lateral skull base outcomes. Kaul was awarded the prestigious American Neurotology Society Research grant to fund her research on cochlear implant patient education. She created a multimedia platform for her patients to better communicate and understand the disease and treatment process. She has given grand rounds and spoken nationally and internationally on many of these topics. She is fluent in English and Mandarin. Kaul has been both a marathon runner and a competitive figure skater.